1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a staple magazine and a stapler apparatus for stapling printed sheets supplied to a sorter or a finisher from an imaging apparatus, such as a copy machine or a printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-80877 discloses a staple magazine (or a staple cartridge) and a stapler apparatus used in an imaging apparatus. The staple magazine has a feed roller, which is driven by the driving mechanism of the stapler apparatus. Sheet-like staple assemblies are stacked in the staple magazine. When the staple magazine is loaded in the stapler apparatus, the lowermost sheet of staples is pushed forward by the driving mechanism, and is transported to the shooting unit of the stapler apparatus by the feed roller, which is being driven in conjunction with the driving mechanism. The shooting unit shoots a staple, which pierces a sheaf of paper to staple them at the stapling position.
With this staple magazine and the stapler apparatus, the sheet-like staple assemblies accommodated in the staple magazine are placed apart from the stapling position when the staple magazine is initially loaded in the staple apparatus. Accordingly, an extra action for pushing the staple assembly to the stapling position must be taken.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a staple magazine and a stapler apparatus, which do not require an extra action to push a sheet of staples forward when the staple magazine is initially loaded in the stapler apparatus.
In order to achieve the object, a stapler magazine according to the invention accommodates a rolled staple assembly that consists of a number of staples bonded into a belt. The stapler magazine has a roller, which is in contact with a portion of the rolled staple assembly to feed the leading edge of the rolled staple assembly to a prescribed stapling position of a stapler apparatus.
When the staple magazine is inserted in a stapler apparatus, the roller is engaged with a guide provided in the stapler apparatus. Accordingly, the roller pushes the leading staple toward the stapling position in response to the insertion of the staple magazine.
Alternatively, a handle may be provided to the staple magazine so that the roller is manually driven in order to feed the leading staple of the rolled staple assembly.
In another aspect of the invention, a stapler apparatus comprises a detachable staple magazine, which accommodates a rolled staple assembly, and a roller, which comes into contact with a portion of the rolled staple assembly to feed the leading edge of the staple assembly to a prescribed stapling position.
In still another aspect of the invention, a stapler apparatus comprises a detachable staple magazine and a guide. The detachable staple magazine accommodates a rolled staple assembly, and it has a roller for feeding the leading staple of the rolled staple assembly. The guide is engaged with the roller when the staple magazine is inserted in the staple apparatus, and drives the roller.